The UEFA Champions League kicks off today and some of the rules in the competition have changed including away goals.

Manchester United and Sevilla are the big teams to open the ground for the competition with their matches against Young Boys and Salzburg, respectively.

UEFA updated their rules for the 2021/2022 Champions League campaign including new rules regarding away goals and substitutes. The changes in the away goals means that away goals no longer count as double in the competition as it used to be.

Any second leg-draws this season will go to extra-time and a penalty shoot-out if possible, regardless of the number of goals scored by each team when they were visitors.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin explained the changes by saying: “The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact, it now dissuades home team, especially in first legs from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage”.

“There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored”, Ceferin said.

Meanwhile, the number of changes have not changed, with up to five substitutes allowed in 90 minutes then one additional change permitted during extra time.